How to celebrate Bonfire Night in your garden safely

Many people will soon gather their friends and family once again to celebrate Bonfire Night.

Some will organize a small firework display in their gardens at home or plan to attend a larger event in the community.

However, if done irresponsibly, there can be serious risks and cause damage to property or significant harm to people.

Abuse of fireworks is #BangOutOfOrder and can have serious consequences, including injury to yourself or others.

Always follow the Firework Code.

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– Greater Manchester Police (@gpolice) October 25, 2023

Sam Jenkinson, garden construction expert tiger warns of the risks and shares how to safely celebrate Bonfire Night in your garden when it comes to lighting bonfires and fireworks.

Have a fire in your garden? 3 things to consider to keep everyone safe

Choose a safe place

First, choose a site away from anything that could burn, such as logs, sheds or hedges, and make sure there are no trees or wires over the fire. If it’s a windy day, avoid lighting a fire as it might disappear more than expected.

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Use the correct materials

Only burn dry material, do not burn anything wet or damp because this causes more smoke and never for petroleum or paraffins on fire. It is safer to use fire starters to prevent flare-ups, but be sure to keep a bucket of water or a hosepipe handy in case of an accident.

Don’t leave it unattended

Finally, don’t leave fires unattended and make sure someone watches over them until they burn out. If it must be left, dampen it with plenty of water, instead of leaving it to burn on its own.

Fireworks at home – 4 steps to follow to stay safe

Will you be attending a fireworks display in friends’ gardens? (Image: Getty)

Determine the size of your garden

Knowing how far you have to work is important to have a safe viewing. Choose a place in the garden for the launch site, make sure that there are no overhanging trees and that it is far from the house or any external buildings, such as a wooden house.

For the garden class fireworks, the recommended safety distance for use is approximately 10 meters from any property. You should also not put fireworks from a decked surface, with a patio area, pebbled surface, or grass more suitable.

Once decided, measure the maximum distance from where your audience can comfortably stand or sit and watch the display. The distance tells you which category of fireworks you can use in your display.

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Choose your fireworks

Fireworks are divided into different categories according to the distance that must be used. Always check the packaging to make sure they are safe for your measured distance, with the distance always to be considered as minimum.

If the maximum distance in your garden is less than 8 meters, fire on category 1 pyrotechnics – these are the least powerful, like hand-held sparklers. For distances of more than 8 meters, you can use category 2 and 3 fireworks – these are more powerful, some have a safe viewing distance of 8 meters and others up to 15 meters.

Prepare your equipment

Preparation is key when you’re planning a show, and you’ll want to have everything ready before the big night. This means setting up shooting stations before hand and making sure you have a backup plan if something goes wrong.

Although fireworks can be loud, they often put on a magical show (Image: Getty)

Fireworks Ideally, it should be stored in its packaging in a lockable metal box, and be kept away from any naked flames or heat sources. Keep in a cool and dry place, where there are no significant changes in temperature, such as a dry shed or garage.

Light your fireworks safely

Securing your fireworks before lighting them is mandatory and even more critical at shorter distances. Follow the instructions on each firework to set and shoot them, lighting them at arm’s length and then standing well back. Instructions provided with fireworks may also contain disposal tips.

Make sure the fireworks are positioned upwards towards the sky. Never put them in a corner, since they can fly in the direction of houses or sheds.

If you are going to use a Catherine wheel in your display, make a place on the ground well away from other structures and hit the fireworks. Never hit a tree, fence or building such as a shed. It needs to be at a height that you can easily reach to turn it on, with the fuse accessible from the ground, so you don’t have to struggle to turn it on.